Metal Injection correspondant Robert Pasbani chatted with Metalocalypse creator Brendon Small about the MetalocalypseNow campaign and potential return of the show, what his ideas for the end of the show could be, his influences in music, and writing a new Dethklok album.

On possible new Dethklok material: "I've got a hard drive full of stuff that I really like. Whether or not this happens, you're going to get new music. I divide up my day writing for future TV shows, writing stand-up and writing music. It's really nice to toggle between those three things and go into my Pro-Tools rig, use it like a sketch pad, circle my favorite things and go 'OK, this is starting to sound like a song.' My rule is, if I like it a lot, I want other people to hear it. That's how every other Dethklok record has been. If I wanna hear it, I put it out and hope other people feel the same way.

On influencing cartoon fans to get into metal: "My favorite thing about the show has been when people say 'I don't know anything about metal, but I love Dethklok. What else can you recommend?' Here are all my influences, and the people that influenced those influences... there's a whole world." More...

For years, fans have been clamoring for an official end to the story of Dethklok, the wildly popular animated heavy metal band at the center of pop culture mainstay and television show Metalocalypse.

Metalocalypse mastermind Brendon Small is championing a campaign to bring fans the official end to Dethklok’s story. Presented by Rocksmith and dubbed Metalocalypse Now, the campaign is designed to combine the efforts of grassroots supporters, the heavy metal community, comedians, record labels, instrument brands and more, proving to Hulu/Adult Swim that there is a massive audience who will watch this ending if they produce it.

The Metalocalypse Now campaign is officially supported by Razer, Metal Blade Records, MetalSucks, and Metal Injection.

Fans deserve to see how the Metalocalypse prophecy ends after nearly 10 years of the story's existence. Using social media, an online petition and more, Metalocalypse Now is the metal world's chance to demand their show's finale. Millions of viewers around the world are waiting patiently for an end to the series, and Metalocalypse Now is working to create the critical mass necessary to publicly prove that Hulu is the perfect home for the series-closer.

Metalocalypse creator Brendon Small states, “Metalocalypse, to this day, has a ridiculously strong viewership. The show has become a part of the metal community and we want to give the fans an opportunity to demand what is rightfully theirs!”

World-famous musicians and heavy metal tastemakers such as Scott Ian, Joe Satriani, Devin Townsend and Brian Posehn have already publicly supported the campaign – and now you can too! To reach critical mass, fans should spread the word all month long by:

- Tweeting at @hulu and @adultswim with #metalocalypsenow- Signing the petition at this location- Don’t use social media? Send an envelope with guitar picks and a note enclosed that tells Hulu that if they finish Metalocalypse, you’ll watch it Send to:

Batmetal returns with a Dethklok and Batman-inspired animated music video titled - what else - but "Batmetal Returns." Watch now as Batman & friends go on a Disney, Marvel and Super Mario Bros. killing spree below, using Dethklok‘s "Murmaider" as the soundtrack.

Small and Wild will show how they engineer and mix the music of Metalocalypse - explaining the recording techniques used for the drums, bass, guitars, vocals and effects of the fictional show's real life band, Dethklok. Like all CreativeLive workshops, "Toontrack Presents: Studio Pass" will live stream for free; enroll today at this location.

Since its inception in 2010, CreativeLive has broadcast more than 600 courses to more than 2 million students worldwide.

Ulrich Wild is a Grammy-nominated producer, mixer, engineer and songwriter specializing in rock and metal. Born and raised in Switzerland, he immigrated to the U.S. where he now lives as a naturalized citizen in Los Angeles. Ulrich Wild worked with Pantera, White Zombie, Deftones, Staind, Static-x, Powerman 5000, Breaking Benjamin and Strung Out.

Over the past few years, Ulrich Wild's productions have included widely diverse acts from Dethklok and Otep to Stolen Babies and Emilie Autumn. He strives to break new ground with each project and looks forward to helping more artists attain their visions.

The official original score soundtrack for "Metalocalypse: the Doomstar Requiem A Klok Opera" has been unleashed to the world today via iTunes, but pay attention Dethklok fans — you have the chance to preview the album before buying.

Stream the full opera soundtrack in the player provided below, courtesy of Yahoo Music.

But wait, there’s more! The deluxe edition of the soundtrack is also available now via Brendon Small's website, which includes a special “Making Of” featurette, containing interviews with musicians and actors involved in the special and soundtrack, as well as information involving every step from the writing to recording process.

"Metalocalypse: the Doomstar Requiem A Klok Opera" is a full blown musical featuring a fifty-piece orchestra. This full-length soundtrack features the intense, driving metal that Dethklok fans clamor for, as well as orchestral movements (produced by Brendon Small and Emmy winning composer Bear McCreary). Powerhouse metal drummer Gene Hoglan returns to join Brendon and Dethklok. Other musicians include bassist Bryan Beller and Mike Keneally. More...

Dethklok mastermind Brendon Small is chock full of surprises this week— revealing the official "Metalocalypse: the Doomstar Requiem A Klok Opera" soundtrack track listing, taking part in a Reddit AMA (thanks DethFans), and now Brendon can now reveal a 30-second “Making Of” featurette teaser from the deluxe edition of the official score soundtrack.

The deluxe edition “Making Of” featurette includes interviews with musicians and actors involved in the special and soundtrack, as well as information involving every step from the writing to recording process.

The deluxe edition of the "Metalocalypse: the Doomstar Requiem A Klok Opera" soundtrack will also include the full libretto (the opera script in text form). The original score in regular format will be released on Tuesday, October 29thth via iTunes, but only the deluxe edition will be available two days early via this location on October 27th. More...

Dethklok mastermind Brendon Small is pleased to reveal the official "Metalocalypse: the Doomstar Requiem A Klok Opera" soundtrack track listing today.

See below for the full list of original score tracks, which will be released on Tuesday, October 29th.

1. The Birth/ Fata Sidus Oritur/ One of Us Must Die2. Magnus and the Assassin3. Partying around the World4. Tracking/ Ishnifus and the Challenge5. How Can I Be a Hero?6. The Fans are Chatting7. Abigail's lullaby8. Some Time Ago…9. The Duel10. I Believe11. A Traitor Amongst Them12. Training/ Do it All for My Brother13. The Answer is in Your Past14. The Depths of Humanity15. Givin' Back to You16. En Antris et Stella Fatum Cruenti17. The Crossroads18. Morte Lumina19. Blazing Star20. The DOOMSTAR Orchestra More...

As previously reported, a new song from "Metalocalypse: the Doomstar Requiem A Klok Opera" soundtrack entitled "Blazing Star" was previewed online recently. "Metalocalypse: the Doomstar Requiem A Klok Opera" airs on Sunday, October 27th at Midnight (ET/PT) on Adult Swim.

Today Loudwire.com is unleashing a brand new Dethklok track, cut from the upcoming full-length rock opera soundtrack for "Metalocalypse: the Doomstar Requiem A Klok Opera."

The single, "Blazing Star," is an über-special treat for fans of Dethklok’s music, as it is not included in the televised rock opera and is only available on the official soundtrack, available via iTunes on October 29th, 2013. The epic new track features an astounding fifty-piece orchestra and a special guest vocal from Dethklok drummer Pickles. Listen now at this location.

"Metalocalypse: the Doomstar Requiem A Klok Opera" features the intense, driving metal that Dethklok fans clamor for, as well as orchestral movements produced by Brendon Small and Emmy winning composer Bear McCreary (Battlestar Galactica/Walking Dead). Also included with the album will be a bonus "making of" featurette.

Meldrum is pleased to announce that the band's third album "Lifer" is officially out now via Reversed Records. "Lifer" was released as a proud tribute to the late Meldrum founding guitarist Michelle Meldrum. "Lifer" is available now on iTunes and CD Baby.

Michelle tirelessly spent her career touring the world and sharing the stage with the likes of Motorhead, Black Label Society, Sepultura, Danzig, and Nashville Pussy to name a few. During that time Michelle left a everlasting impact on the guitar world. To mark the release some of Michelle's closest friends Gene Hoglan (Testament, Death, Dark Angel, Dethklok) John Deservio (BLS, Cycle of Pain), James Lomenzo (BLS, Megadeth, White Lion), and Jason McMaster (Dangerous Toys, Watch Tower, Broken Teeth) have commented on their fallen friend.

Gene Hoglan: "It was and still is an honor to know Michelle and it is indeed with great pride that we release 'Lifer.' I know she's watching over us and smiling along with us at this wonderful day. I know I'm a better person for knowing Michelle, and I know she feels all of our love for her, as we feel hers for us. Through tragedy may we find joy, and through 'Lifer' and all her other works, may Michelle find immortality. She'll always be immortal to us. Remember, this is meant to be cranked up." More...

Machine Head has been forced to exit their current North American tour with Dethklok, All That Remains and Black Dahlia Murder due to matters completely beyond their control.

Frontman Robb Flynn must have emergency surgery. Flynn had planned to go under the knife in January after completing the tour as he has been playing through the pain of a double inguinal hernia since the tour started in October. He had hoped to continue the tour despite extreme discomfort, but it's become too difficult to continue on. Flynn will undergo surgery tomorrow, Wednesday, November 14 in Minneapolis before returning home to California to recover, rest and recuperate. Machine Head will rejoin the tour in Portland, OR.

Machine Head extends its regrets to fans, the other bands, and the other crews for having to leave the tour prematurely.

Machine Head regrets to inform fans that the band has been forced to pull out of the December 4th date of the Dethklok / All That Remains / The Black Dahlia Murder tour in Orlando. Roadrunner Records comments:

"In 2007, Walt Disney Properties banned Machine Head from the House of Blues venues in both Orlando and Anaheim, California, citing 'violent imagery,' 'inflammatory lyrics,' and 'undesirable fans' as the reason.

"Machine Head wishes to once again extend their gratitude to Live Nation and the House of Blues chain - Machine Head shows at the Dallas and Houston House of Blues venues will go on as scheduled."

To tease next week’s release of Dethklok's "Dethalbum III," ArtistDirect.com, Guitar World Magazine, and Modern Drummer Magazine have each released a different exclusive and never-before-seen clip from the “making of” DVD documentary portion of the deluxe set.

"Dethalbum III" is being released via Williams Street Records on October 16th in a variety of formats including a standard CD and a Deluxe Edition CD/DVD combo, which will include a 32-minute behind-the-scenes documentary of the making of "Dethalbum III," as well as music videos and more. A vinyl edition of the album with special etching will also be released on November 6th, 2012.

Adult Swim recently announced the release of Metalocalypse Season 4 on DVD and Blu-ray Disc on October 30th. Dethklok has also revealed a North American headline tour with support from All That Remains, Machine Head, and special guest The Black Dahlia Murder. Dates are available below. More...

Hot Topic is stoked to premiere the epic music video for "The Galaxy" from the mighty Dethklok. Check out the clip below, and you can pick up new album "The Dethalbum III" on October 16th, along with Volume 4 of Metalocalypse on October 30th. The track listing is:

Drummagazine.com has conducted a new interview with legendary metal drummer Gene "The Atomic Clock" Hoglan (Testament, Death, Dethklok, Meldrum, Dark Angel). The interview focuses around the drum tracking and writing process Hoglan used on the upcoming Dethklok release "Dethalbum III." Excerpts from the interview follow, or you can read the full thing at this location.

Drum: What kind of patch-ups are you doing for Dethalbum 3?

Seeing that I track the songs the day that I learn them, usually I have some tiny transitional fills to do, or this time Brendan wanted me to try some different beats to match his new riffs. We’re writing songs on the fly. So as the songs progress we’ll play something different to match the new riffs. I rarely get to do that sort of thing but this time I did, so a few tiny little spots were fixed.

Drum: How do you learn a song and record it the same day? That’s unorthodox.

It is unorthodox. But I’ve had so many projects that are like that where the band or artist hands you the song and you play it. You need a large stockpile of fills that work and ones that you can cull from your mental brain trust of fills. Like, “Okay, I know in this style of music I have a bunch of fills that could work well.” Or the artist might say, “I am not feeling that fill,” so you access a different memory bank of fills. So then you try those. Option anxiety happens a lot when I work like this, usually it’s the people I’m working with saying, “Let’s try this or throw that up against the wall.” Sometimes it bogs down the session and it can make you real tired at the end of a long day.

Drum: So you’re tracking Dethalbum 3 and recording soundtrack material for Metalocalypse at the same time?

We’re doing the album version of the songs that appear on the new season, and a few songs that haven’t been aired yet. We’re also recording songs from the past season. We came in to do Dethalbum 3, which made me think we would be tracking songs from season three, but then Brendan said, “Who knows when we’ll get in the studio again, so let’s track songs from season four too.” Great.

This tongue and cheek poke at the Van Halen classic, humorously renamed 'Get It Up,' is part of Sylencer's latest release "A Lethal Dose of Truth." The track also features Dethklok mainman Brendon Small on lead guitar. Check out the song through the player available below.

Hoglan, who is currently on tour with Testament, is slated to join Brendon Small and the rest of Dethklok for their upcoming north American tour that kicks off in Norfolk, VA on October 30th.

West of Hell, along with Valagao, will join Agnostic Front and Deth By Stereo for a western Canadian tour starting October 19th at The Rickshaw in Vancouver, BC Canada. More...

Detroit Michigan's The Black Dahlia Murder will be hitting the road this fall marking the band's first full U.S. tour since a spring headline run with Nile and Skeletonwitch. This time around The Black Dahlia Murder will be supporting Dethklok, the band from the Adult Swim Metalocalypse animated series, Machine Head, and All That Remains. The Dethklok North American tour kicks off on October 30th in Norfolk, VA and wraps up in Atlanta, GA on December 8. For ticket information, please visit this location.

Vocalist Trevor Strnad comments: "The rumors are true… the cat is out of the bag and we FINALLY get to talk about this amazing tour this fall… the excitement was almost too much to handle! We in TBDM are completely honored to be a part of this monstrous tour… we want to extend our thanks to Mr. Brendan Small for having us aboard. We'll do our best to impress the legions of ravenous Dethklok fans. Metalheads: See you this fall!" More...

Dethklok returns this fall with the "Dethalbum III," the follow-up album that fans of the animated band have been begging for. The stars of the Adult Swim series Metalocalypse will unleash 12 brand new tracks that are more brutal than ever before in this fall’s release, set to hit stores throughout North America on October 16th, 2012 from Williams Street Records.

The "Dethalbum III" is once again co-produced by Metalocalypse co-creator Brendon Small and Dethklok producer Ulrich Wild (The Dethalbum and Dethalbum II). The cover art was also illustrated by The Dethalbum and Dethalbum II cover artist Antonio Canobbio. "Dethalbum III" will not only be released in its original CD and digital format, but also as a Deluxe Edition CD/DVD and a clean version of the CD. The Deluxe Edition CD/DVD will include a 32-minute behind-the-scenes documentary of the making of "Dethalbum III," as well as music videos and much more. A vinyl edition of the album with special etching will be released on November 6th, 2012.